Built in New York in 1949, 801 along with its 4 sisters 802-805 operated in South Wales where it worked until the last of the fleet was withdrawn in 1983. The S1 Switcher’s are common in the US, but rare outside North America.
Alcos no. 801-805 were built in Schenectady, New York in 1949 and 1950. Bought new by the Steel Company of Wales for their Port Talbot & Margam Smelter, they were the first new post-war Bo-Bo locos to run in the UK, and the first standard gauge post-war American diesels to operate in Europe.
When new, their original livery was overall Maroon, then wasp stripes were added soon afterwards. Painted into light blue with wasp stripes in the late 1950s, they worked until 1983 when they were withdrawn as they needed 2 members of staff to operate whereas the other locos could operate using only a driver.
